Friday, December 23, 2016

by Joanna Smith Originally published: December 23, 2016Publisher: CBC.caStatus of Women Minister Patty Hajdu said the choice to spend $1.1 million on a new suite of offices was about ensuring the portfolio remains a priority for many years to come."It was a concrete space with no wiring, no lights, no anything, so this is something that will serve the country in the future in a way that I think will be beneficial to women and girls across the country," Hajdu said Wednesday in an interview that aired on CBC Radio's Up North.he Canadian Press reported last week that Hajdu signed off on the plan to build new offices for her and her staff — despite being warned the price tag could raise eyebrows when the word got out — so that she could be in the same building as Status of Women Canada, located at 22 Eddy Street, in Gatineau, Que.They started fast-tracking the project before knowing how they would pay for it, according to documents obtained through the Access to Information Act, or how many people it would need to accommodate.

by Chloé FedioOriginally published: December 23, 2016Publisher: CBC.caThree former members of the Canadian Forces have filed a proposed class action lawsuit claiming "systemic racial discrimination and harassment" during their service, detailing how derogatory slurs and threats of violence against them were either ignored or tolerated by their superiors.Marc Frenette, a 38-year-old Indigenous man from Ontario, Wallace Fowler, a 43-year-old black man from Nova Scotia, and Jean-Pierre Robillard, a black man of Haitian descent raised in New Brunswick, made the accusations against the Canadian Forces in a statement of claim filed Dec. 14 in Halifax. Fowler has previously called for an inquiry into racism in the military."Rather than properly punishing the wrongdoers and deterring insidious behaviour, victims of racism within the Canadian Forces are forced into isolation, subjected to further trauma and, in many cases, catapulted toward early release from their careers," according to the claim.

by John LewisOriginally published: December 22, 2016Publisher: Huffingtonpost.com Whenever we hear the ubiquitous holiday music that pervade the airwaves this time of year, we can’t help but want to sing along — not with the traditional lyrics — but with the new and improved words that Marriage Equality USA wrote and performed for shoppers at this time each year. For example, to the tune of Jingle Bells, we sang: “Equal rights, equal rights, equal all the way! Oh what fun it is to sing for equal rights today!” We followed it up with: “Deck the Halls with marriage equality! ‘Tis the season for equality! Don we now our gay apparel ....” And we belted out many others, hoping to bring a smile to people’s faces while spreading a message of the importance of love, dignity, and equality under the law.This year ‘tis the season for workplace and transgender student equality as LGBT people will don their gay apparel and argue for these essential rights in five key federal cases over this year’s holidays. These cases could result in rulings of nationwide scope next year or the year following. It’s time for our entire community, not just the parties and their lawyers, to be engaged in these cases that could shape LGBT rights for decades.

by Michael Rose and Danielle Van KatwykOriginally published: December 23, 2016Publisher: Mondaq.com Executive Summary: On December 12, 2016, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a user-friendly resource document aimed at informing applicants and employees with mental health conditions about their workplace rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The publication also addresses circumstances regarding workplace privacy rights, such as confidentiality of medical information, and the process for requesting and documenting the need for a reasonable accommodation relating to a mental health condition.Background: The EEOC, the agency generally charged with enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, issued the publication in response to data showing that charges of discrimination based on mental health conditions are on the rise. The EEOC's preliminary data shows that, during fiscal year 2016, the Commission resolved approximately 5,000 charges of discrimination based on mental health conditions. Generally, these individuals were allegedly unlawfully denied employment and reasonable accommodations in connection with their mental health condition. In response, issuance of the resource document aims to raise awareness of the employment rights and protections held by many individuals with common mental health conditions under the ADA. EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang, stated, "[e]mployers, job applicants, and employees should know that mental health conditions are no different than physical health conditions under the law."New Publication: The publication, titled "Depression, PTSD & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights" presents a series of questions and answers, explaining to applicants and employees their workplace rights in an easy to understand format, and highlights the following:

by Sharon Florentine Originally published: December 22, 2016Publisher: NetworkWorld.com Diversity (or lack of it) is still a major challenge for tech companies. Poised to revolutionize the world of work in general, some organizations are leveraging technology to root out bias, better identify and screen candidates and help close the diversity gap.That starts with understanding the nature of bias, and acknowledging that unconscious bias is a major problem, says Kevin Mulcahy, an analyst with Future Workplace and co-author of The Future Workplace Experience: 10 Rules for Managing Disruption in Recruiting and Engaging Employees. AI and machine learning can be an objective observer to screen for bias patterns, Mulcahy says."The challenge with unconscious bias is that, by definition, it is unconscious, so it takes a third-party, such as AI, to recognize those occurrences and point out any perceived patterns of bias. AI-enabled analysis of communication patterns about the senders or receivers -- like gender or age -- can be used to screen for bias patterns and present the pattern analysis back to the originators," Mulcahy says.

by Gary Hefferman Originally published: December 22, 2016Publisher: Huffingtonpost.com The communications industry is facing its most radical transformation in decades, based on customers’ fast-changing demands. The rapid rate at which technology is advancing is being driven by over-the-top competitors that are changing the game in telecommunications’ core business.To respond, the industry must become-and go to market as-a truly digital set of businesses. Achieving that change requires creating the digital workforce of the future. That workforce will be a vital source of differentiation, and inclusion and diversity will be at the forefront of making it happen.Diversity is a top three topic on CEOs’ agenda in our industry-one that doesn’t merely need to change but must transform quickly. Diversity has measurable positive impacts on long-term business results. It fosters the innovation and new ideas that are so important in a society and industry that are constantly changing.

by Catherine FoxOriginally published: December 22, 2016Publisher: ABCnews.net.auWhen the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) decided to tackle the lack of women in male-dominated jobs in the Hunter Valley last year, it didn't waste any time getting the message out to the community.Instead of trying to recruit candidates individually, the company targeted a group of women for entry-level jobs by holding an open day in Muswellbrook, setting up a Facebook page and getting the local media involved.In the end, the Mayor made a speech, a total of 900 women applied for six roles, and 11 strong applicants were eventually given jobs.The recruitment drive was deliberately aimed at getting women into non-traditional roles such as signal installers, and was part of the company's effort to improve diversity and capability by drawing from a wider pool of candidates.

by Conrad LiverisOriginally published: December 23, 2016Publisher: WomensAgenda.com.aun early 2015, Conrad Liveris released research that found there are more men named Peter leading ASX 200 organisations than there are women. That research still stands today. Below, the workforce diversity specialist calls for change. Every year I think this, but I really can’t believe 2016 is coming to an end.It has been a roller-coaster year which saw great hope and even greater disappointment. But as I keep reminding myself, that is life.As I’ve been thinking about 2016, I’ve become increasingly concerned about gender equality.Sure, there were some wins. The gender pay gap started closing, Hillary Clinton showed that women can seek the most powerful role in the world and fare pretty well at trying to win, and we are seeing an increase in opportunities for women at work with more CEOs putting it on their agenda.

Originally published: December 23, 2016Publisher: Workforce.com Bullying isn’t just something that happens among children on the playground; it’s a bigger problem in the workplace than people may think. Andrew Faas, 67, knows this from his personal experience as both bully and the bullied at times throughout his career. Bullying is also the topic of Faas’ new book, “From Bully to Bull’s-Eye.” Faas, who worked as a senior executive for more than 30 years at some of the largest Canadian corporations including Shoppers Drug Mart, is working with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to figure out the best way to create seamless communication between boss and employee in an effort to minimize confusion and stress in the work environment. Faas, who now describes himself as “a revolutionist, an activist and an agitator,” took the time to talk to Workforce about why bullying happens in the workplace, and what you can do to stop it.Workforce: In your book, you mention that the impetus for writing about it is because you experienced bullying on both ends of the spectrum throughout your career. Tell us about that.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

by Shaun Heasley |Originally published: December 2016Publisher: DisabilityScoop.com The U.S. Department of Transportation is planning to move forward with new regulations mandating greater accessibility for people with disabilities when they fly.After seven months of negotiations, an advisory committee tasked with addressing accessibility issues for the Transportation Department said it has reached a consensus on how best to move forward with rules designed to improve access to in-flight lavatories and on-board entertainment.Currently, accessible lavatories are only required on planes with more than one aisle. That can present challenges for individuals who use wheelchairs since most domestic flights involve single-aisle aircraft.

by Ruchika TulshyanOriginally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: Crosscut.com As many progressive pundits were predicting a presidential landslide for Hillary Clinton, Kieran Snyder, cofounder of Seattle-based startup Textio, was seeing a very different picture emerge.Snyder’s company uses machine learning to figure out the effectiveness of words in communicating to specific audiences. Textio revealed that Trump’s frequent use of phrases like “beautiful family” and “wonderful team,” and references to his “(beautiful) pregnant daughter” in campaign speeches would appeal to white women voters. Snyder saw these patterns emerge as early as March.At last count, 53 percent of white women reported voting for Trump. You know the rest of the story.But Textio is not in the business of predicting elections — at least not yet. Instead, it helps employers figure out which words in a job posting attract the best candidates, including how to draw in a more diverse pool of applicants.

by Wendy Cukier, Suzanne GagnonOriginally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: MontrealGazette.com Efforts to advance evidence-based approaches to diversity and inclusion are more important than ever, particularly in the wake of the U.S. election. The campaign and its outcome exposed misogyny and racism and seemingly legitimized barbaric views on women and immigrants.But in Quebec, there are signs of progress, at least where gender is concerned. Our recent research on women in leadership roles in the Greater Montreal area shows significant gains over the last three years. DiversityLeads examined 3,087 senior leaders from the largest organizations in six sectors — elected, public, private, voluntary, education and appointments to agencies, boards and commissions — with headquarters in Greater Montreal.Women, who account for 51.3 per cent of the residents of Greater Montreal, now fill 37.6 per cent of senior leadership positions, a 20.5-per-cent increase since our last analysis in 2012. The voluntary sector has achieved parity (50.8 per cent women in senior leadership roles). Municipal and provincial agencies, boards and commissions are close, at 49.7 per cent. While the corporate sector had the lowest representation, with only 21.3 per cent women in executive positions and on boards in the largest companies headquartered in Montreal, this is a dramatic increase since 2012, when only 15 per cent were women.

Originally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: EdmontonJournal.com The Canadian Race Relations Foundations (CRRF) is issuing a call for papers for its academic journal Directions. The upcoming issue will build on key themes that emerged from the CRRF's 2016 National Conference, titled "Inclusive Canada: 2017 and Beyond." The conference, held in October 2016, brought together participants from across Canada to discuss the challenges and promises that lie ahead, as we work towards confronting racism and racial discrimination, while realizing an inclusive Canadian society that is respectful of diversity.Published in print and online in winter 2017, the eighth issue of Directions, "Inclusive Canada: 2017 and Beyond," will examine the following topics:

by Bridget M. MaricichOriginally published: December 22, 2016Publisher: Mondaq.com Seyfarth Synopsis: Though only an informal guidance, this resource document reminds employers of the EEOC's expansive interpretation of what constitutes a reasonable workplace accommodation. Employers should continue to meaningfully engage in the interactive process with any employees seeking workplace accommodations for a physical or mental disability and assiduously document those efforts.Citing an increase in charges of discrimination based on mental health conditions during fiscal year 2016, the EEOC released a "resource document" on December 12, 2016, explaining "workplace rights" for individuals with mental health conditions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The resource document – Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights – is presented in a question and answer format intended for applicants and employees. The informal guidance is a useful primer for understanding the EEOC's expanding stance on employer obligations to provide reasonable workplace accommodations.At first blush, the resource document is nothing new. In question 1, the EEOC reiterates that employers are prohibited from discriminating against applicants and employees because of a mental health condition. The document also notes that employers do not have to hire or retain individuals who are unable to perform the essential functions of a job or who pose a direct threat. However, the Agency strongly caveats that employers must "rely on objective evidence," "not myths or stereotypes," that would indicate that an individual is unable to perform a job or poses a significant safety risk, even with a reasonable accommodation, before taking an adverse action against the individual.

by Clare McDonaldOriginally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: ComputerWeekly.com In this contributed blog post, Damilola Erinle, area vice-president for UK & Ireland at Salesforce, discusses why businesses should see gender diversity as a way to increase productivity and revenue rather than just a “feel-good” task.For so long we’ve talked about gender balance in the workplace as important, something companies “should” be doing; but it can often feel like it’s more of a corporate social responsibility initiative that ticks a box because it’s the “right thing to do.” But advocating gender balance isn’t about women needing a handout – having a balanced workplace adds real business value. The companies that understand this and move from rhetoric to reality will be the ones that gain true competitive advantage.The impetus for change? Every commercial organisation on the planet is trying to do one thing: increase the number of high quality, profit yielding relationships they have with their customers. To do this, you need to understand your customer base, create products that are relevant to them, and engage with them in an effective manner.

by Timothy Del Castillo, Megan Lawson, Joe Liburt Originally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: JDsupra.com In its first update in 14 years, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new Enforcement Guidance on National Origin Discrimination (“Enforcement Guidance”) on November 21, 2016, replacing its 2002 Compliance Manual on National Origin Discrimination. With input from approximately 20 organizations and individuals, the Enforcement Guidance addresses important legal developments over the past 14 years on national origin issues ranging from employment decisions and workplace harassment to human trafficking.Title VII protects individuals from employment discrimination and retaliation based on their color, race, sex, religion or national origin. The EEOC last comprehensively addressed national origin discrimination in 2002, focusing primarily on “English-only” rules. The Enforcement Guidance now highlights the broad definition of national origin discrimination: “discrimination because an individual (or his or her ancestors) is from a certain place or has the physical, cultural, or linguistic characteristics of a particular national origin group.”The Enforcement Guidance also discusses national origin discrimination in a variety of different employment scenarios: employment decisions; harassment, including human trafficking to language (accent discrimination; fluency requirements; English-only rules; and restrictive language policies) and citizenship.

by Romy NewmanOriginally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: HREonline.com While a woman may not have made her way into the White House, I believe 2016 was actually a pretty good year for gender diversity in corporate America. If nothing else, workplace gender diversity has been highly topical this year.In the past twelve months, several companies have taken a strong stance on issues that impact women. Several companies, among them Bank of America, Nike, EY, Ikea and Twitter announced enhanced parental leave policies - including paid leave for fathers and secondary caregivers. Accenture became the first major consulting firm to announce diversity targets. Microsoft tied diversity to executive bonuses. And the CEO of Patagonia laid out a convincing business case for onsite daycare.There are six important takeaways that Id like to share  from Fairygodboss data and other sources.1. Gender diversity makes business senseHaving actually been a woman in the corporate workplace, I am firmly convinced that more diverse teams lead to better decision making, team dynamics, breadth of knowledge and skills, and financial performance. But that is hard to prove.So I was very grateful when the research team at Morgan Stanley took the time to actually quantify the benefit of gender diversity -- or at least demonstrate a positive correlation between gender diversity within a company and its stock returns.

by Fahmida Y. Rashid Originally published: December 22, 2016Publisher: InfoWorld.com A Q&A with Alex Kassirer of Flashpoint covers diversity from the employee's perspective.Diversity is integral to the workplace and is critical to making great products, supporting a global user base, and developing innovative ideas. But the diversity conversation is frequently only heard from the organization's side. How does a job candidate, an employee vying for a promotion, or even a colleague navigating the workplace approach diversity issues?Fahmida Rashid sits down with Flashpoint's Alex Kassirer to talk about diversity from the employee perspective. The conversation covers how to navigate job interviews, the importance fitting into company culture, and how to find the right mentor relationship.The upshot: While it's best to emphasize skills and qualifications, it's also important that employees find a company culture they're comfortable with, and that's where diversity issues come into play.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

by Adam Quinton Originally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: AlleyWatch.com The Linkedin #techtalksdiversity conversation has thrown up many great perspectives and solutions. There are three topics that I keep coming back to personally as I think about diversity in tech:1.Tech’s bigger issues are society’s issues: tech is important, but possibly too self important. It’s core challenges are societal and human commonplaces. It needs to look more broadly for answers.2.Tech does have three specific fault lines: these are around Computer Science (CS) education, the extreme homogenity of Venture Capital (VC) and, to the self important point, the belief of many that tech is a meritocracy. (Spoiler alert, it isn’t.)3.Tech’s biggest problem is not diversity, but inclusion: lack of diversity is the symptom of a illness. Tackling diversity alone, so demographics, is not the path to a sustainable solution. The underlying illness is the lack of an inclusive culture … and that is where the solution to building diversity truly lies.In this post I expand on each of these three points and offer some suggestions for the way forwards.

by Conor Cawley Originally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: TECH.coIt's no secret that tech has a bit of a diversity problem. Whether it’s a lack of women at Facebook or the absence minorities at Apple, the problem is well-documented in the tech community. Companies have done their best to make diversity a priority, but there appears to be no easy fix when it comes to making the tech world a more inclusive place.The most infuriating aspect of this unfortunate issue is that diversity is good for business. Not only have numbers shown that having minority and women employees improves productivity, but the simple fact is that the world is not made up of exclusively white men. Having a natural path to different demographics is an obvious advantage of diversifying your company that people seem to be plainly ignoring.Fortunately, Lance Surety Bonds created an infographic that gives us a better idea of the diversity present in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. While men still hold the edge on the amount of businesses started in the US, women are steadily gaining on them, making up just over 40 percent of those endeavors. To make matters even better, African American women are the fastest growing entrepreneurial group among women in the US today.

Originally published: December 21, 2916Publisher: ArtistsDirect.com Tegan and Sara Quin have just launched the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which "works for economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. We work in partnership and solidarity with other organizations fighting for LGBTQ and women's rights, raising funds and awareness. Our mission is founded on a commitment to feminism and racial, social and gender justice. We are fighting the inequality that prevents LGBTQ girls and women from reaching their full potential."The sisters began working on the new foundation during their most recent tour in support of Love You to Death, which was released last June. During the course of the concert series they said, "We learned that the lack of federal funding for LGBTQ services, limited training for doctors about the needs of their LGBTQ patients and severe workplace discrimination are disproportionately affecting women."

Originally published: December 21, 2016Publisher: Huffingtonpost.com When President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, framed by the beaming faces of lawmakers and activists, he knew he had a truly historic piece of legislation in front of him. For the first time, Americans couldn’t be discriminated against in the workplace on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability ― even “genetic information.”But, as we’re seeing today, “historic” isn’t a synonym for “comprehensive.” Citizens such as those in the LGBTQ community need protections that the America of 1964 wasn’t yet prepared to give. In the absence of explicit federal updates to employment discrimination bans, well-intentioned states and cities have jumped in with their own legislative remedies. The result, however, has been a patchwork of protections varying greatly from region to region.We’ve teamed up with Monster to explore those workplace discrimination protections with the greatest disparities in state and federal coverage, highlighting where you’re more likely to be fully covered by the law if you don’t resemble today’s typical CEO and are hoping to secure that all-important job offer.

by Liz SpaydOriginally published: December 17, 2016Publisher: NYtimes.com ONLY two of the 20-plus reporters who covered the presidential campaign for The New York Times were black. None were Latino or Asian. That’s less diversity than you’ll find in Donald Trump’s cabinet thus far. Of The Times’s newly named White House team, all six are white, as is most everyone in the Washington bureau.Traveling to other departments, Metro has only three Latinos among its 42 reporters, in a city with the second largest Hispanic population in the country. Sports has one Asian man, two Hispanics and no African-Americans among its 21 reporters, yet blacks are plentiful among the teams they cover and the audience they serve. In the Styles section, every writer is white, while American culture is anything but.The executive editor, Dean Baquet, is African-American. The other editors on his masthead are white. The staff with the most diversity? The news assistants, who mostly do administrative jobs and get paid the least.

by Romy NewmanOriginally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: Huffingtonpost.com Sadly, for many women I’ve spoken to, it feels like the lesson of 2016 is that the glass ceiling is lower than we all thought. That lesson may or may not hold true in the political realm. But I’ve spent the year paying close attention to the issue of gender diversity in the corporate sector, and I’d argue that 2016 was actually a great year for gender equality in Corporate America. The groundwork has been laid for even more good progress in 2017, and I’m optimistic that the private sector can set a new standard through which greater gender equality will come to women in our country, and even maybe one day to the government itself.Here are five highlights of the year in corporate gender diversity that I hope will not be forgotten or obscured by the political climate:

by Tekla S. PerryOriginally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: Spectrum.ieee.orgThree years ago, a software engineer at Pinterest, Tracy Chou, wrote a blog post calling for companies to release stats about the number of women in their tech workforces. Two years ago, thanks to the pressure that post generated, companies started releasing stats about workplace diversity—not just about gender diversity, but about racial diversity as well.The data showed that tech companies were dramatically white and male, particularly in the upper ranks. And the biggest companies, at least, set out to do something about itLast week, Atlantic Magazine brought together tech executives, local community leaders, venture capitalists, journalists, human resource specialists, and others to discuss diversity efforts. The discussion at Inclusion in Silicon Valley, at times, was refreshingly blunt. An early comment set that tone:

Originally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: HCmag.com Lots of Australian organisations have realised that gender equality is more than ‘a nice thing to have’ – it’s a business imperative, according to Deloitte Australia’s CEO Cindy Hook.

“At Deloitte, we view diversity and inclusion as central to our firm’s culture and our ability to tackle our clients’ most complex business problems,” said Hook

“Being an employer of choice for women is one of several important components required to grow and nurture our firm’s rich diversity. The more diverse our people and thinking are, the better positioned we are to take the lead in reinvigorating professional services. ”

by Alison DeNiscoOriginally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: TechRepublic.com Despite criticism over lack of gender diversity and family-friendly policies, the tech industry is far exceeding others in one area of family planning: Fertility treatments.Technology companies offer in vitro fertilization (IVF) benefits nearly 35% higher than their peers, according to a recent report from Fertility IQ, a website aimed at assessing fertility doctors and clinics. And, six of the top 10 employers with the most generous benefits listed fell into the technology category, according to patient data.

by Stefanie K. JohnsonThomas SyOriginally published: December 19, 2016Publisher: HBR.orgSince the 1960s, Asian Americans have become the country’s “model minority,” largely due to significant increases in mobility that have mostly (though perhaps inaccurately) been attributed to education.Asians do outperform other minorities and white people when it comes to education, employment, and income. According to 2010 data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Asians are better educated than other races, with more Asians age 25 and older having graduated college (52%) than white people of the same age (32%); Asians have a lower unemployment rate (7.5%) than whites (8.7%); and Asians, on average, earn more per week ($855) than whites ($765). Yet this narrative around Asians’ success obscures the fact that they are underrepresented in leadership positions, a phenomenon referred to as the “bamboo ceiling.”

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

by Marletta Davis Originally published: December 19, 2016Publisher: Huffingtonpost.com With all that our country faces, I wanted to keep the focus on what, I feel, makes America Great. Valuing our Diversity. We still have much work to impact diversity retention in many technology companies made this blog feels timely.Our nation and our workforce are both becoming more diverse. The share of people of color in the United States is increasing; more women are entering the labor force, and the LGBT community continues to make vital contributions to our economy while being increasingly open about who they are. To that end, businesses that embrace diversity has a more solid footing in the marketplace than others.A diverse workforce combines workers from different backgrounds and experiences that together breed a more creative, innovative, and productive workforce. And businesses have learned that they can draw upon our nation’s diversity to strengthen their bottom line. In this way, diversity is a key ingredient to growing a strong and inclusive economy that’s built to last.Let’s look at the top economic benefits of workplace diversity.

Originally published:Publisher: MyRepublica.com While diversity is a key feature of the ideal workplace, in reality, progress has been much slower than many want to admit. How can a company make way for minority professionals at all levels without generating feelings of unfairness and bitterness in majority employees? Developing a positive action initiative is the first step.Challenge assumptionsWhen implementing a positive action program, don’t expect all majority employees to have a negative attitude toward the program or all minorities to embrace it. Attitudes concerning positive action are affected by many factors, and assuming otherwise can spell bad news from the start.

by Estelle TangOriginally Published: December 19, 2016Publisher: Elle.com Last week, the Hollywood Reporter published their annual animators roundtable. There's no doubt that the talented creators selected to speak their minds had interesting and timely things to say about the industry—Byron Howard (Zootopia), Garth Jennings (Sing), Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings), Mike Mitchell (Trolls), John Musker (Moana), Seth Rogen (Sausage Party), and Mark Osborne (The Little Prince)—wrote, produced, acted in, and directed some of the biggest animated films of the year.But some readers noticed there was something amiss in the roundtable's line-up, especially given some of the topics the conversation covered.

by Anthony AdvinculaOriginally published: December 19, 2016Publisher: LouisianaWeekly.com Diversity at the leadership level in the environmental sector remains low despite a high proportion of well-educated and qualified people of color in the United States, according to a report released last Thursday. The problem: systemic bias in the hiring process, but also environmental organizations’ unwillingness to mandate diversity when using a search firm.Diversity Derailed: Limited Demand, Effort and Results in Environmental C-Suite Searches, produced by Green 2.0, found that nearly 90 percent of search consultants – which are frequently used by mainstream environmental NGOs and foundations – have encountered bias on the part of the organizations using them during their search for senior-level positions.Search firms often hold the key to diverse hiring in executive positions – the question now is how organizations can use search firms effectively.

by Hayley SpillaneOriginally published: December 19, 2016Publisher: CableFax.com While 2016 isn’t a release year for WICT’s annual PAR employment survey, the organization has put together a Path to PAR gender diversity report that offers additional findings from the 2015 PAR survey and showcases best practices on diversity and inclusion.First, a refresher on some of the highlights from the latest PAR study, which examines pay equity, advancement and resources for women in the cable telecommunications industry. It found that there seems to be an effort to promote women, as the promotion rate for women was higher than men in professional and manager levels, although rates were lower for women at the staff level. The hiring rate of women surpassed men at all tiers in 2015. Compared to the average North American company, the telecommunications industry has higher percentages of hiring and promotions of women, according to consultant Mercer. One downside, according to the report, is that women are leaving the industry at higher rates than men.Path to PAR notes that emphasizing gender diversity in the hiring process, thus hiring more women, can have real benefits for employers. One McKinsey study from 2015 said gender-diverse companies are “15 percent more likely to outperform their competition and ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to do the same.” Another study found that teams with more female members than male performed better than teams with male majorities. Another national trend the Path to Par report says to look out for is about promotion. The Women in Workplace 2016 study, a partnership between LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Co, found that for every 100 women promoted to manager, 130 men are promoted.

by Andie Berjek Originally published: December 19, 2016Publisher: Workforce.com Jewelle Bickford was frustrated; despite corporate efforts toward parity and promises to tackle gender inequality in leadership, women as a group weren’t making progress.Bickford, partner at Evercore Wealth Management, is one of the founders and co-chairs of the Paradigm for Parity movement, which launched earlier this month as a vehicle to accelerate the pace of gender equity in senior executive roles. The ultimate goal is gender parity in leadership by 2030.Bickford along with Sandra Beach Lin, former president and CEO of Calisolar, and Ellen Kullman, former CEO of DuPont, created the movement.“It was our view that if a solution were to be found, women would need to do it for themselves, and for the rest of the women out there,” said Bickford. This prompted the organization of the Paradigm for Parity movement, which so far has partnered with 27 companies, all of which have publicly promised to take on gender parity as an organizational goal and to use Paradigm for Parity’s guidelines to do so.

by Anna GreenOriginally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: BlueNotes.anz.comThe lack of diversity in Australian boardrooms means business is not making the most of the talent the country has to offer, according to Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner.Speaking to BlueNotes on video, Dr Tim Soutphommasane says the fact less than 10 per cent of corporate leadership roles in Australia are filled by people from non-European backgrounds shows Australia’s inherent diversity is not being reflected at board level. ‘We’re a country where nearly half the population was born overseas or had a parent born overseas, yet none of this appears to be reflected in [our corporate] leadership,” he said.

by Lauren FosterOriginally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: CFAinstitute.org“Diversity isn’t just sound social policy. Diversity is the engine of invention. It generates creativity that enriches the world.” — Justin Trudeau, prime minister of CanadaIf there was a poster child for “Diversity 2016,” it would be Justin Trudeau. At the 2016 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the Canadian prime minster reminded delegates of something that academics and others have been saying for quite some time: Diversity leads to innovation and creativity.Just two months before his speech, Trudeau had named the most diverse government in his country’s history, with an equal number of men and women. It was a cabinet, he said, that resembled Canada.

by Faraz Maqsood HamidiOriginally published: December 20, 2016Publisher: Dawn.com Millennials don’t work 'for' a boss. They perform 'with' a coach.Dear Madam,I’m a Millennial looking to continue my career. Which is why I’m writing to your firm to evaluate whether we are suited for each other for a period of no more than the next two years. After that, I’ll be moving on.You see, my parents (Gen X), switched jobs about four to five times in their professional lives. But my generation, already the largest and most influential in the global workforce, doesn’t really switch jobs. We just want to grow — even if that means growing out of a job, in case it fails to embrace our sense of personal growth and naturally entrepreneurial hardwiring. I guess it boils down to being digital natives. Opportunity isn’t confined for us.

Monday, December 19, 2016

by Marcia KayeOriginally published: December 18, 2016Publisher: TheStar.com In The Muslimah Who Fell to Earth, edited by Saima S. Hussain, personal stories from women straight and gay, single and married, devout and indifferent.If there’s one thing Canadian Muslim women have in common, it’s — well, not really anything, other than being Canadian Muslim women. There’s a vast diversity, as evident in The Muslimah Who Fell to Earth: Personal Stories by Canadian Muslim Women.This anthology, edited by Saima S. Hussain of Mississauga, includes 21 first-person accounts of experiences as a Muslimah, or Muslim woman. The contributors are variously brown, white and black, born in the Middle East, Indonesia, England, Brazil, East Africa and Canada, wives and singles, mothers and childless, straight and gay, devout and indifferent and conflicted.One of the most delightful chapters is “Muslim Me” by the jeans-and-buzz-cut-wearing Maria Cruz, who is blind and uses a wheelchair. “Sometimes I’m glad people don’t know I’m Muslim,” she writes. “I cuss way too much.”

by Lydia Dishman Originally published: December 16, 2016Publisher: Fastcompany.com Here’s what we know: Our workplaces have a long way to go to achieve gender parity in everything from leadership positions to pay, despite the fact that women and men are nearly equally represented in the workforce.To get a better understanding of the gender divide at work, Kununu, an employer review platform, partnered with InHerSight, on the "Gender Equality" survey. The survey asked 5,000 working professionals to rate their current and former employers across 16 different factors including salary, telecommuting, learning opportunities, coworkers, paid time off, mentorship, and management opportunities, among others.The gender split of respondents was 38% men and 62% women. InHerSight’s founder and CEO Ursula Mead says that even though the split was uneven, it was substantial enough to support the comparisons and analysis behind their findings.

A joint survey by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and Deloitte shows that although women make up 45% of the workforce at venture capital firms, few (11%) are investment partners or hold comparable positions on venture investment teams.

The rates for African Americans and Hispanics are even worse. Based on the report’s findings, nonwhite employees make up 22% of venture capital positions. African Americans occupy 3% of such jobs, while Hispanics or Latinos hold 4% and Asian/Pacific Islanders hold 14%.

Bobby Franklin, president and CEO of NVCA, said the report confirmed what the venture capital industry already knows: Its workforce isn’t representative of the U.S. population.

by DAVID SHADOVITZOriginally published: December 16, 2016Publisher: HREonline.com As 2016 winds down, I can only guess at the number of surveys I’ve seen that are connected in some fashion to the subject of millennials. Let’s just say, for argument’s sake, the figure has to be in the hundreds.Well, could we soon be in store for something similar when it comes to Generation Z?For now, I’ll just leave that question hanging. But we’ve already seen a fair share of Gen Z predictions and reports over past 12 months, with the latest coming from 8×8 Inc., a provider of SaaS-based enterprise communication tools.

by Drew Hansen Originally published: December 16, 2016Publisher: Forbes.com Last Friday Madonna received the Woman of the Year award at the 2016 Billboard Women in Music event. Her acceptance speech centered on the sexism she's endured as a female entertainer in the music industry. But amid her criticism of the treatment she's received as a woman, she touched on a different issue altogether."To age is to sin," she remarked. "I think the most controversial thing I have ever done is to stick around."Ageism is one of the last bastions of prejudice in the North American workforce.

by Georgene Huang, Originally published:Publisher: Forbes.com As 2016 comes to a close, the Fairygodboss team and I took a look back at what women told us about their workplaces this year.We found some good news and some not-so-good news, and we came across a lot of specific areas on which employers should focus their attention. We looked at what thousands of women share with each other about their jobs and companies on our site, compared it to other reputable findings from third-party research organizations, and have painted a picture of the state of gender equality in the American workplace.In conclusion, we believe we’ve unearthed some reason for optimism, mounting evidence regarding the business cases for greater gender diversity and clear areas where gender equality can improve in the workplace. Our complete findings are published in our inaugural 53-page report “The State of Gender Equality in the Workplace (2016)”.

by Christine Wong Originally published: December 16, 2016Publisher: ITbusiness.caYes, this is another story about the lack of females, visible minorities and disabled people in Canada’s technology industry.And before this story had even been written, Chris Eben knew exactly what you’d be thinking when you started reading it: what does some Caucasian executive (a former university football star, to boot) know about the struggles faced by women, minorities and disabled people, not just in IT but in any context?“Just because I’m a white, middle aged male doesn’t mean I don’t hold those values true,” he says about five minutes into a conversation about bringing more diversity and inclusion to the workplace. “I have three daughters. I have a disabled daughter. I grew up in (Toronto), the most multicultural city in the world. I want all of those things reflected in the company that I’m building.”

by Mikey CampbellOriginally published: December 17, 2016Publisher: AppleInsider.com In statements obtained by BuzzFeed News, the three tech giants were unsurprisingly opposed to the idea of generating and maintaining a list of users based solely on their religious beliefs. "We think people should be treated the same no matter how they worship, what they look like, who they love. We haven't been asked and we would oppose such an effort," an Apple spokesman said. Apple has long been a vocal advocate of equality, publicly pushing for diversity in the workplace and beyond. A spokesperson from Google was even more emphatic, saying, "In relation to the hypothetical of whether we would ever help build a 'muslim registry' - we haven't been asked, of course we wouldn't do this and we are glad - from all that we've read - that the proposal doesn't seem to be on the table."

by Cecile Alper-LerouxOriginally published: December 17, 2016Publisher: SHRM.orgChange is hard and can make us uncomfortable. That may be why 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail in the first week alone. But, change is upon us and it is here to stay.Every year, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) adds hundreds of new words. This year, they added the term “gender-fluid.”gender-fluid (adj.): denoting or relating to a person who does not identify themselves as having a fixed gender.In order to consider adding a new word, the OED editors must deem that term a significant and notable development in the history of the English language. In fact, the term “gender-fluid” has been in use for many years within the LGBTQ community, and its addition to the dictionary this year reinforces its validity to a larger audience.The term itself, describing someone who doesn’t necessarily identify as male or female or who might feel rather female one day and rather male the next, signals a growing recognition and acceptance of people who choose to identify outside the traditional gender binary.

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